


The Cost of Accosting the Lost

by HeyStopThat



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Action, Adventure, Anxiety, Character Study, Comfort, F/M, Fear, Hang out with ALL the mercs!, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Love, OC, Original Character - Freeform, Other, Shenanigans, adult, i think..., in-character mercs, mature - Freeform, mental health, self improvement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-04-20 22:32:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14270943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyStopThat/pseuds/HeyStopThat
Summary: “Miss Owens...” he said slowly, his words teasing the unseen depths of her own sanity. “Is zhere, perhaps, another name I could call you? One zhat maybe you haven't been called in a number of years, hmm?”Her heart leapt into her throat, eyes bulging further as her whole body began to tremble.“Maybe a name... that vasn't stolen from someone else?”~ You can recruit someone against their will, sure, but it's quite different when they simply refuse to fight.There's not much you can do with a person who refuses to cooperate, but perhaps there are other things that can be offered to a person with exposed secrets.After all... we all have secrets.





	1. Little Toy Cars

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter has been partially redone as of April 17th, 2018.
> 
> Scout, Medic, and who are those at the end..?

“Hey there. I have a 1 o'clock appointment?”

“Name?” came the usual, curt reply, typical of busy secretaries.

“Owens. Liam Owens.”

“Just sign in on the sheet, and we'll call you back when he's ready.”

“Mm'kay..” Liam hummed, picking up the pen chained to the counter and scribbling down her information on the paper that was slid over to her. “Thank you,” she said with a nod, sliding it back over to the woman on the opposite side of the window before turning to scope out the room for available seats. Much to her relief, the waiting room wasn't all that busy today, so there were actually open chairs to be chosen without the downside of having to sit next to another person. There was only a sullen-looking man with his ankle propped up on a knee, reading some generic “housekeeping” magazine that he obviously had no interest in, and a women with two young, but thankfully, fairly quiet children.

Liam sat down quietly in an open chair away from the man and the woman with her brood, letting her bag fall carelessly into her lap. She sighed as quietly as she could manage and rummaged aimlessly through it, feeling awkward and just trying to distract herself from the wait. The old, dog-eared, yellow-paged book pulled from the bag wasn't all that appealing, but she knew that doctor's office literature wasn't exactly page-turningly satisfying either, and she would rather read about a middle-aged priest coping with domestic life in a small town than flip through spreads about the right texture for your couch pillows.

“Mommy, can I play with Bree's caterpillar?”

Liam lifted only her eyes to see the mother gently bouncing a sleeping baby on her arm, shaking her head and quietly shushing the older child.

“No, Connor. Bree's sleeping right now, and I can't get it out of the bag. Besides, that's a baby toy.”

The little boy, Connor, huffed and slouched low in his seat without further argument, obviously just as frustrated as Liam, but much more open about it, made apparent by the crushing weight of the eyebrows on his forehead and a bottom lip that stuck out so far you could trip over it. It seems that he had been in this similar situation before and knew it was useless to push the issue. So there he sat, fidgeting only a bit so as not to disturb his sleeping baby sister, the only sounds being the TV mounted on the wall in the corner, quietly droning on about various medications and their side effects, and the little boy's own exasperated sighs.

Liam, worn down by the sound of a child in distress that were all to similar to her own, emitted her own sigh before closing her book, opening her bag, gently putting it back inside, and rummaging around in its depths. The little boy diagonal to her peered up from underneath his scowl, which turned to a pointed look of curiosity when the woman in question pulled out a little toy car and held it out to him. Connor looked up quickly at his mother, who was too occupied with the baby to notice, but the boy urgently pulled at her sleeve, causing her to look up at her son before quizzically looking over across the room to where he was pointing. Her face softened and lit up with a grateful smile as she looked back at the boy with a nod and a quiet whisper of encouragement, which motivated him enough to slide off of his chair and make the cautious yet eager walk to the stranger holding the toy across the lobby.

“You've been a very good and very patient boy,” Liam commented. The little boy, suddenly shy about his approach, just looked down. “Would you like to play with this while you wait?”

“Yes!” he said, reaching out to take it.

“Connor, manners!” his mother called out a soft warning from across the room behind him, causing him to falter.

“Yes, please,” he corrected. Liam had already placed it in his hand, and the child quickly plopped himself on the ground in the from of the seat next to his savior from boredom and proceeded to test out the car on the chair. So much for trying to actively avoid other people with her strategic seat positioning. Though, to be fair, Liam had basically invited over the company, so this was technically her own fault.

“My name is Connor Michaels, and I'm 5,” he said matter-of-factly, not looking up from his makeshift racetrack. “What's your name?”

“Nice to meet you, Connor. I'm Liam,” came the smiling reply from the woman.

“Liam??” he scoffed, looking up into her eyes. “That's a boy's name.”

“Connor!!” came another call from his mother. Liam only laughed.

“It's alright. Yeah, it is a boy's name. My parents thought I was going to be a boy when I was born, so they never even thought up any girl names. So when I turned out to be a girl, they chose the name I was going to be called when they thought I was going to be a boy.”

“We have a boy at our daycare named Liam.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, but he's way littler than me. He's only a baby!”

“Like your sister over there?” Liam inquired, gesturing to the infant in the arms of the thankful mother.

“Yeah! She's not even one years old yet!” he chirped. “How old are you?”

“Connor....” his mother groaned quietly, causing another laugh from Liam.

“How old do you think I am?” she teased. The little boy studied her for a moment.

“Ninety.”

“ _Connor_!!!!” came the inevitable whisper-yell.

“What?? She has grandma hair!!”

By now, Liam even heard the reading man give a small chuckle from behind his magazine.

“No, no, you're right. It does look like grandma hair. But I like it this way.”

“How did it get that way?”

“Well, I was trying to change my hair a different color, and I made a bit of a mistake, but I grew to like the way it looked, so I just kept it that way.”

“My mom says that I'm going to give her gray hair, too!”

“Oh yeah?” Liam smiled even bigger as she looked up and over at the woman, who was shaking her head, good-naturedly rubbing a hand over her forehead with a sheepish grin on her face. “I think it'd be a pretty good look for her!”

Before there was a chance for a reply, the door swung open, and a nurse called out, “Liam?”

Liam stood up and shifted her bag back onto her shoulder.

“Honey, give Miss Liam her car back,” Connor's mother urged gently, but Liam shook her head.

“That's alright. You can keep that, Connor,” she said, moving toward the ever-patient nurse. “Just be sure you keep being good for your mom, okay?”

“I will!” he piped up happily.

“What do you say, Connor?” his mother prompted again.

“Thank you!!” he called out, causing Liam to give a final nod and a smile before walking through the door leading back. She suddenly felt the uneasiness creep back into her bones again as she was led back into the clinic, the familiar halls doing nothing to ease her anxiety.

“Making friends?” the nurse joked, leading her to the scale. Liam managed to quirk a smile as she stepped up. Children were much easier to talk to than adults, admittedly.

“Everywhere I go.”

“That's so sweet. Do you have kids?” came the innocent question as she stepped down off the scale, a contraption that measures blood pressure quickly and expertly wrapped snugly around her upper arm. Liam's smile faltered only slightly as she shrugged.

“Maybe one day,” she replied, the words coming out more quietly than she had intended.

“But not now, huh?” the nurse gently teased with a smile. Liam shrugged again, now hyper-aware of the tight squeezing on her arm.

“Timing is everything, yeah?”

“You're right, you're right. It's probably best to think it through for a while before bringing a little one into the world, hmm? And, speaking of timing...” the peppy nurse chirped, ripping the velcro from her patient's arm. “It's time for you to go back! Room 3, first door on your left.”

“Thank you,” she breathed, almost too gratefully, walking the few steps it took to get to the door. The nurse in question nodded understandably, hand on the doorknob, as Liam strode toward the single chair in the corner, turning back when the nurse added, “He'll be with you shortly.” Liam returned the nod, and was finally left in solitude as the door was closed softly behind her. Sweet peace descended upon her nerves as she all but fell into the waiting chair. She knew that no one was a fan of doctor appointments, but she should be used to this by now. Despite how often the visits, she always felt wildly unsettled every time. She didn't even bother to pull out her book and only stared up at the ceiling, focusing her breathing and calming her mind. All she needed was a minute, and she knew it would be more than a few until the doctor knocked on that door. Until then, she'd soak in the quiet of the room, doing her be to disregard the hum of muted voices behind paper-thin walls, and she'd be back in sorts with herself in no time at all, _ready to face the usual questions and routine_ , she thought to herself, taking a deep breath through her nose and closing her eyes.

There was nothing to worry about.

The door opened suddenly, no warning knock at all, and the voices from the office spilled in once more, startling Liam out of sorts once again as she bolted quickly upright in her seat to pose herself in a more dignified manner than a slouch. She was met with the sight of a young, gangly male nurse, dressed in burgundy scrubs and holding a clipboard.

“Are you..... Liam?” he faltered, eying his clipboard and then the woman before him with an look of suspicion. Liam returned the look warily

“....Yes....?” she replied after a moments hesitation. The nurse seemed to accept this answer with gusto.

“Great!” he crowed, far too much enthusiasm in his voice. “We actually need ya' ta' switch rooms for us, if ya' don't mind!”

“Ahh.. sure..” she mumbled, standing up and fumbling with her bag before throwing it back over her shoulder. “Umm.. do you mind if I ask why?” she asked, stepping out into the hall again, waiting for the young nurse to show the way.

“Yeah, it's fine! Just have ta' move you around to make room, is all. Got a lotta' patients waitin' to be seen!”

Liam quickly glanced over her shoulder through the window of the office and out to the waiting room. Connor and his mother and sister was absent, and the magazine man, too. In fact, there was only one other person that she could see.

“Well, what I mean is...” the young man fumbled, stepping behind her and attempting to usher the both of them forward down the hall. “We have appointments booked out the wazoo today, so... we're just tryin' ta' prepare!” Sensing Liam's skepticism rising to near unfathomable levels, he quickly added, “They're not all here yet, of course, but they will be!”

“Oh....” was her dumb reply, the only thing she could think of as she was moved forward, not wanting to have her heels stepped on by the nurse trailing in close proximity behind her. “And, uhh... where exactly are we....?” she trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the doors ahead of them.

“Oh! Right! Sorry 'bout that! Last door, straight ahead!” She heard him laugh nervously over her shoulder. “Sorry, uhh... first day on th' job.. don't really know what I'm doin'!” he laughed again.

A newbie on the job: that explained a lot. Liam relaxed and gave a nod., the tension practically melted from her, leaving her feeling that much lighter now that she remembered to breath.

“That's alright. Everyone was new at one time or another. Just relax,” she said kindly as they approached the room, balking a bit as she realized the size of it, but quickly moving forward again once she realized that she needed to keep moving to prevent her heels from being grazed.

“Heh, I'm tryin'. Trust me, I'm tryin'.”

Liam's eyes quickly scanned the room for a place to sit, but there was only a padded examination table in the middle of the room on the far wall, and a single chair set out at a seemingly very important desk, adjacent to a looming set of cabinets and drawers, in front of which was stood the tall form of a man who was rummaging through them and mumbling to himself, his back currently to the two intruders in the doorway.

“Hey doc!” the nurse called out with such vigor that it made Liam jump slightly. The tall man stopped his pursuit in the file drawers and turned to peer at the two of them over a small pair of round, vintage-looking Windsor-style glasses that struck Liam as far too out of their time to be for anything but aesthetic. She was quickly struck out of her thoughts when two hands came down on her shoulders and a face appeared next to hers, in far too close of a proximity for comfort. “Look what _I've_ goooot!” came the sing-songed voice of the nurse, as he walked them both forward, Liam suddenly feeling more like a sacrificial offering than a patient. Regardless, the doctor seemed pleased with the tribute, his face lighting up as he straightened himself out, striding toward the pair with a broad, toothy grin and outstretched arms.

“Ah! _Wunderbar_! You must be Liam, yes? And how are you feeling today?” he asked with a smile, crossing his arms behind his back as he neared. Liam took a step back at the advance and bumped into the elbow of the nurse who still hovered behind her.

“Uhh.. where's... Dr. Sunil..?” she questioned feebly, suddenly feeling very small under the gaze of the man towering before her.

“Ah! Dr. Sunil is currently indisposed at zhe moment. He actually asked zhat I see you in his place, if zhat's alright, of course.”

Did she even have much of a choice? Liam shifted nervously and slowly started to back up even further.

“I dunno...” she mumbled, suddenly cut off by an arm being thrown heavily on across her shoulders.

“'Ey! Don't be nervous!” came the jolting voice of the gangly nurse in question. “Ol' doc here may look intimidatin', but, rest assured, he's da' best a' da' best! Shoot, he's fixed me up more times than I can count! You're in good hands!”

“...yeah...?” Another dumb reply as she gave her companion a wary sideways look.

“Absolutely! Don't worry, ol' Scout will be right here with ya' the whole time!” he wholeheartedly reassured. For some reason, Liam did feel a bit more relaxed.

“Well... alright...” she conceded, her voice coming out as small as she felt. She was way out of her element, her routine disrupted, but what could she do at this point?

“ _Wunderbar_!” the doctor gleefully proclaimed, clasping his hands together. “Zhen let's get started, shall we? Nurse Scout, vould you escort zhe young lady to zhe table, please?” he asked, turning back to retrieve the papers left out on the counter behind him.

“Sure thing, doc!” He gestured to the padded table on the far wall. “After you!”

“Alright...”

“It's gonna be fine, trust me!” came another bout of reassurance as she approached the table, stepping up on the stool pulled out of the side and sitting on the crinkling paper atop the vinyl. She patiently put her hands in her lap and gently swung her dangling legs, watching both men work around the room, the doctor now gathering various instruments and looking over more papers, and nurse Scout wheeling equipment over closer to where Liam sat.

The doctor looked normal enough, his dark hair graying at the temples, face worn with deep lines that typically plague men of his age and profession from years of work and worry. The sleeves of his white shirt were pushed up to his elbows, his large hands telling of hard labor and practiced precision, judging from the studied movements when picking up tools and folders from their homes.

The nurse, on the other hand, looked much less intimidating, which was a relief for her nerves. A goofy smirk perched on a youthful complexion, a necklace jingling with dog tags hanging around his neck. The sleeves of his nurses scrubs were rolled up his biceps, showing off skinny, pale arms, though she believed the original intent was to show off “muscle”.

“Checkin' out the goods, eh?” came the quip that snapped her back to reality as she looked back up at the nurse with realization, a sly grin on his face.“All this movin' I'm doin' got you a little distracted? Well, since you already got the tickets, I'm happy to let you see the show!”

“...Tickets??” she blinked.

“Tickets to the GUN SHOW!” he whooped, flexing an arm that was probably supposed to show off some kind of bulge. Realizing that she had walked right into that one, Liam couldn't help but laugh, lifting the side of her hand up to her mouth as if to catch the sounds coming from it.

“Eh? Ehhh? Made you laaaaugh!” he sing-songed again, hands on his hips, his face beaming at his own accomplishment. “And I have heard that laughter is the best medicine!”

“Vell, as much as I would like to believe zhat, I'm afraid I must contest it,” came the reply from the doctor, who was now striding over to the table, one his hand grasping the handle of a machine on a rolling cart while he studied the clipboard grasped in the other. Liam's smile faltered as he drew near and stopped carelessly swinging her legs as he stopped the cart in front of her and stood before her, finally looking up from the papers he held and into her eyes, gifting a smile that was probably trying to be reassuring, but the cause was wasted.

“Forgive me, it seems zhat I know your name, but you do not know mine,” came the sheepish apology as the doctor straightened up. “I am Dr. Ludwig, and you have already come to know my associate, it seems.”

Liam cleared her throat nervously before speaking.“Yes, but.. what's this all about? I just came here for a routine check-up and a medication refill. Is something wrong?” The question seemed to broaden his grin further.

“Oh, nozhing wrong. Nozhing big, anyway,” he said with a casual shake of his head, waving a dismissive hand at no one in particular. “Ve just need an update for zhis information, is all!”

“I'm pretty sure everything is current..” she mumbled uneasily.

“Even so, Miss Owens, as I am fairly new to your case, zhere is just a need for verification.”

“Oh.. I.. alright..” Liam didn't feel that she really had a choice, but the explanation seemed to placate her mind, the doctor smiling as her shoulders relaxed.

“We do need a few blood samples, zhough, Miss Owens, so if you'd like to lie back-”

“No, that's alright! This is fine!” she blurted, maybe a bit too quickly, realizing her mistake when the doctor stopped in his tracks to shoot her a quizzical look. "I-I mean, I can handle it like this!" she said, softening her voice to give a more even reply before shooting the man a waning smile. The doctor seemed only slightly taken aback and recomposed himself with another broad smile.

“It's quite up to you, Miss Owens,” he said, not unkindly, as he turned back to the table behind him to fiddle with more papers.

Liam's gaze turned worriedly to the nurse, who was looking worriedly at the doctor, who was back to gathering things from the space in front of the table, humming absently.

“Uhhhhhh... doc, do you want me to, uhh...?” Nurse Scout gave the syringes on the cart next to the patient a wary look, his eyes darting from them to Liam and back again. Liam's eyes went from Nurse Scout, to the needles on the cart, to the once again rummaging doctor, who quickly turned back to catch the look from his assistant.

“ _Was_?”

Nurse Scout balked.

“Uh... da' needles... I... I don't think I should... I mean... not sure if I'm qualified to, uh...”

Liam looked expectantly at the doctor, whose gaze flitted quickly to her before resting on his assistant, who stood nervously wringing his hands before the both of you.

“Just clean her arm, Scout,” you heard the doctor sigh.

“Oh! Right!” The bumbling nurse grabbed the bottle of antiseptic and some cotton swabs from their places on the cart before looking back up at the patient with a lopsided grin. “First day,” he reaffirmed, as if she had forgotten. Liam nodded again in patient reassurance.

“Miss Owens....” came the deep voice of the doctor, his long strides quickly placing him in front of the specimen that now sat before him. “Would you mind just confirming a few things we already know?” he questioned, peering down at her from behind his glasses. Liam kept his gaze and nodded.

“ _Gut_. Name?”

“Liam Marie Owens.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-four.”

“Any family history of heart disease?”

“No.”

“Do you smoke?”

“No.”

“Do you consume alcohol?”

“Very rarely, if at all.”

“Any history of seizures?”

“No.”

“Fainting spells?”

“No.”

“Have you ever been incarcerated?”

“No.”

“Do you have any felonies on your record?”

“No.”

“Do you currently have any varrants out for your arrest?”

“No.”

“Do you currently have any open court cases against you?”

“No.”

“Have you ever gone by a different name?”

“No.”

“So you've never been married before?”

“....No.”

The doctor's eyes flickered up from his papers to stare for but a fleeting second before he was back to reading again.

“Have you ever been pregnant?”

“I told you, I was never married.”

“I am aware of zhat. You can still become pregnant without being married, Miss Owens.”

“........No.”

“Have you ever been pregnant but not able to carry the pregnancy to term?”

“...............No.”

“Have you ever had an abortion?”

“No.”

“Are you _quite_ certain zhat you have never been pregnant before?”

“............................”

The doctor's eyes rose to gaze back up at her, but Liam's own gaze was easily as steely as his, never breaking contact, the only movements being the swell of her chest and shoulders as she focused on maintaining deep, slow breaths. Doctor Ludwig dropped his pen onto his clipboard and raised his head to gaze at his patient.

“.....I see..... And vould zhere be any reason for me to doubt any of your previous answers, Miss Owens?” he asked, thoughtfully tapping his pen on the papers below.

Silence enveloped the both of them again, as if they were the only two people left in the world, with only the faint buzz of florescent lights humming ominously in the space between them, none of them daring to move an inch. A slow intake of breath straightened her back, and she sat up straight, eyes unchanging and gaze unwavering.

“I'm just answering the questions,” Liam spoke low and evenly, her hands gripping the edge of the examination table. “I'm not sure what you're looking for, but I'm doing my best to answer your questions honestly.”

The loud screech of a chair being dragged across the floor made Liam jump. Their eyes still locked, the doctor did not even need to look behind him to grab a seat, and proceeded to place it in front of his patient, still sitting obediently on the table, while he proceeded to sit, the doctor now looking up at his patient from his chosen perch. Regardless of their positions, the power he exuded, even from below her, was far too intense for her comfort.

“Zhen tell me... Miss Owens...” he spoke, lifting his foot to rest on his knee, his voice lower still. “Vhat is your reasons for lying about all zhose questions?”

Liams' vicegrip on the table was given away by the telltale sound of cracking knuckles.

_He's baiting me._

“I didn't lie about on all those questions,” came her evenly clipped response.

The doctor leaned forward, crossing one arm on his chest and lifting his other hand to his chin, a wide grin painting his face.

“Anozher lie, _fraulein_?” he crooned, tauntingly.

Liam's eyes bulged as she, too, leaned forward.

“It's not a _lie_ ,” she all but hissed. The doctor only leaned closer still, his ever-widening smile giving off that he suspected a different truth- one that he was willing to reach in with precise, gentle hands before savagely tearing it from the depths of his prey, if only just to observe a reaction.

“Miss Owens.....” he said slowly, his words teasing the unseen depths of Liam's own sanity. “Is zhere, perhaps, another name I could call you? One zhat maybe you haven't been called in a number of years, hmm?” Liam's heart leapt into her throat, her eyes bulging further, her body beginning to tremble. “Maybe a name... that vasn't stolen from someone else?”

Liam lunged forward, momentum from the push off the table nearly propelling her on top of the man sitting before her, but an agile backwards lean from him was enough to subvert the potential disaster. The two were now face-to-face, uncomfortably so, their knees nearly touching so much so that Liam could feel the brushing of fabric as she leaned forward into his face. She could feel the blood coloring her features, trying to force back the mix of rage and cold-blooded fear that threatened to overtake her. She wanted nothing more than to tear apart the wicked grin that painted the face of her adversary.... this.... _monster_ who was trying to coax her into revealing the life that she had worked so hard to build.

The sneer that lifted her lip served as a foil to his Cheshire grin. How _dare_ he sit there like this, accusing her, trying to break her down, and seemingly overjoyed at seeing her anger. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

“Check with the police, _doctor,_ ” she spat venomously, keeping her voice quiet in an attempt to bridle her growing fury, “and you will find that I am telling nothing but the truth, I can _assure_ you. You have _nothing_ on me.”

It took all she had not to grab his throat and squeeze when he gave an amused chuckle in response to her challenge, and it took even more not to take a step back as he leaned in even closer, so much so that she could feel his warm breath on her nose and smell a faint wisp of aftershave.

“Of course not, _Fraulein._ I'm sure you've covered your tracks quite well. But, off zhe record, let's just say zhat I am still quite certain that you've changed your name, just as you seemed to have changed your personality so drastically in only a matter of minutes,.”

This time, Liam did take a step back as the doctor rose from his chair to tower over her, his hands now clasped behind his back, his teeth now bared in a wide, terrifying smile.

“Doesn't it seem strange, Scout?” he continued, drawing your attention back to the other forgotten human in the room for a brief second. “That she come in here meek as a lamb, only to become as vicious as a lion once her little secret has been found out...?”

“There is nothing to be 'found out',” Liam hissed from from between her teeth, aggressively turning to snatch her bag from the table before turning quickly and making long, angry strides towards the door.

“W-wait...!!!” she heard the lively nurse call after her.

“Bill my insurance!” she grunted, not bothering to look back. “And take me off your patient list!” she barked as she shoved open the doors.

“But we need your blood!!!” he yelped desperately. She didn't even slow down, blowing past the reception window, not even bothering to stop and sign the required paperwork. The bewildered receptionist gave a quick and quiet “oh”, as Liam passed, bursting out carelessly through the door leading back out to the waiting room and letting her anger carry her through the exit doors without a backward glance.

As soon as the fresh air hit her face and filled her lungs, she gasped, feeling almost dizzy. Her outburst had left her short of breath, but her steps only faltered a little bit before she recomposed herself and let the seething energy carry her briskly across the parking lot to her waiting car.

She needed to leave. Immediately. She couldn't tell if she was more angry or scared, but the adrenaline from either one flowed heavily through her veins and was barreling through her thoughts at a violent speed, like a runaway train that couldn't be stopped. Where would she go? How would she get there? Could she ditch her car? There were too many variables. Right now, she needed to focus: focus on getting home. There, she could calm down and formulate a plan.

 **BLAM!!!** An explosion. Liam screamed and jumped back at the sudden shattering of stillness. Dumbfounded and clutching her chest, she looked around frantically, realizing that she was the only one out in the lot.

The hissing of air led her attention back to her vehicle, causing her to blink down at her tire in shock. It was rapidly deflating. She could only gape at this sprig of ill-timed bad fortune, almost tempted to throw back her head and laugh at her overreaction, and she would have, if not for the grim reality of the situation. She needed to leave, and she needed to leave _now_ , regardless of what fortune had decided to fastball to her.

_Go._

She pulled out her phone, fiddling with it until she realized that she didn't have a connection, so she couldn't look up a number for a tow truck, nor did she have any numbers on-hand. She pondered for a quick minute. She could call the information line to get in touch with someone, or maybe....

_Go now._

She took a deep breath and pocketed the device, stuffing it into her jacket pocket. She resumed her brisk walk toward the driver-side door and gave the key fob a swift click to unlock her doors. Too much had happened today. _Far_ too much. She had to get home. She needed a plan _now_. She was ready to drive on the rims all the way back and shell out for repairs just as long as she got home now. She _had_ to. _Now_. She couldn't wait.

Liam climbed into the drivers seat, shut the door, clicked the lock, yanked the seatbelt into position and turned the key in the ignition. Money be damned, she just needed to go. Just put it in reverse, and go.

And that she did, shifting gears, but not without hearing the grating screech of her rims and axles at the abuse she was putting them through. She cringed, silently apologizing to her machine.

 _Just a bit longer_ , she thought, shifting into drive and turning the wheel edging her way toward the open road.

Before she even had a chance to properly accelerate, a delivery truck screeched to a halt far too close to her bumper for comfort. Liam slammed on her brakes, a few choice curses and unsavory words on the tip of her tongue, but she had no time to hurl insults at the stationary vehicle before the shock of an explosion rocked her in her seat, shattering out her windows and leaving nothing but a dull roar and faint ringing in her ears. She hunched motionless, the pain in her skull where she had knocked it against the steering wheel was but a dull ache, though it would bloom into a splitting headache later. Sirens sounded somewhere far away as she sat, breathing heavy and quick, head low against the steering wheel, hands still 10 and 2 in a white-knuckled grip. Her mind was blank and her body equally unresponsive, shock and a sheer overload of adrenaline assaulting her heart, and yet she couldn't find the strength to move. Deep down, she almost chastised herself; most other people would be forced into fight or flight, running head-on to face the danger or even running far from it to preserve themselves. So what did she do? She sat there, frozen, like a rabbit in the road, not having the sense or instinct for any type of self-preservation, waiting for whatever came to take her, whether it be the smoke or fire. She was powerless against her own self to even move.

Liam nearly fell to one side, the door adjacent to her elbow ripped open. she bolted upright at the onslaught, looking out quickly, barely able to see anything more but smoke and fire.

A figure cloaked in darkness descended upon her, but still she didn't move, even to cower away from this strange, otherworldly creature. Red and black charred skin, massive, round dark soulless eyes with no mouth, a dark illuminated skulls that reflected the flames.. was this her fate? Was this Death himself here to lead her to the afterlife? The creature leaned in against her, a glowing knife held in its grip. Of _course_ part of her afterlife would include torture! It seemed that her destination to hell was finally clear.

And then.... a weight felt as if it were lifted off her chest: Death-incarnate had cut away her seatbelt.

“GET HER OUT OF THERE, NOW!!!!” came the bellow from beyond the fire that finally woke her out of the daze. The charred, masked figure didn't need a second command before Liam felt herself pulled by the arm from her seat and thrown over the back of her rescuer in a fireman's carry. Her vision grayed at the edges as she was jostled, the fireman gripping her bicep and behind her knee so tightly that she thought she might pass out from the pressure before she could succumb to the smoke and fire.

The absence of heat. Cool, clean air. Liam could scarcely get enough of it, trying desperately to exchange the smoke for oxygen as they came into a clearing away from the flames. The fireman then decided it was the perfect time to unceremoniously and unexpectedly flop her down, leaving her nearly breathless once again.

“C'mon, mate, we've gotta' go!” a voice surged from behind her, accompanied by a hand roughly latching around her elbow and dragging her back. Liam was is no state to resist and was pulled along, watching the strange fireman lifted both arms up and drag down a door that met the ground with a metallic, bone-clattering “BANG”, muffling the outside noise, and signaling the rumbling roar of an engine that sent vibrations though Liam, who was still bewildered and gaping on the floor, still very much out of breath. Before any question could leave her, a quick sideways lurch of the vehicle had he tumbling along with it, bashing her nose against a bench along the side. With a shrill yelp, she scrambled to regain her foot, bringing a hand to her face to feel for blood.

“Sorry, love,” came a gruff voice from the far corner. Startled and still out of breath, Liam jerked her head up to stare. “No seatbelts.”

On the long bench-seat on the other side of the vehicle, sat a man, all too casual, one arm curled on the back of the seat, the other stretching long over the other side. The light coming off his tinted glasses made sure to let no emotion be betrayed through his eyes.

“Y....you!” Liam gasped, unable to align herself enough to properly finish. She knew she had seen this man in the waiting room of the doctor's office. And there, sitting over his shoulders, was a rifle.

 


	2. Little Toy Guns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue to the prologue.
> 
> Sniper, Scout, & Engineer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previous chapter has been revised as of April 17th.

There was little shifting in her movements soon after she had realized that her so-called companion for the trip was casually wielding more than a few weapons, and sharp-tipped bullets poking out of the pocket over his chest seemed to confirm this very real threat. So, Liam stayed quiet, hands gripping the edge of the bench, spine pressed up against the back corner of her moving prison as if that would protect her from the danger that loomed not ten feet away. Every so often, a bump in the road or a sudden sharp turn would cause a gasp or a garbled expletive to escape her, and she would sometimes catch a ghost of a smile on the corner man's lips for a fleeting second after her quiet outbursts, if she dared to glance over. However, any other kind of emotion he may have given away was hidden behind those mirrored shades, which made getting a read on him near impossible. So there she stayed- rigid and anxious in the dark corner of that van for god-knows how long, listening to the rumble of the engine muffle the voices that occasionally leaked in from the unknown passengers up front, and keeping a wary eye on the captor who sat with her.

Narrow slats that served to maybe give some feeble ventilation were high near the ceiling, and gave no chance of a view to clue her into where exactly she was being taken. The low light that filtered through them mimicked dusk, making her eyes flutter only slightly. Maybe it really _was_ evening; she had no idea exactly how long she had been riding in silence, which seemed to render time incoherent at this point.

She felt tired. So tired.

“Not that it bothers me any,”came the rumbling voice from the corner, startling Liam out of her contemplation as she bolted upright, fixing her eyes on the man lounging over the seat across the way. He seemed to crack a smile at her reflex, continuing, “but you're awfully quiet for a captive,” he pointed out casually.

Liam's blood seemed to freeze in her veins at the word “captive”, and she stayed silent, staring dumbly at her captor, offering no rebuttal to his observation.

“I mean, most blokes we pick up are at _least_ askin' questions,” he continued, her ongoing silence seeming not to deter him in the slightest, “but you've been quiet as a mouse. I'd almost think you were mute if I didn't overhear you back at the clinic.”

Liam only gave a stiff stare back at those mirrored glasses, unsure and unwilling to engage. An Australian, judging by the accent, which would explain his choice of dress, too, but she could glean little else from him based off his voice alone. She recoiled as the man gave a low grunt and sat up, shifting forward and swinging one of his feet up to rest an ankle atop his knee, his attention now focused squarely on her. Judging from that growing smirk on the corner of his lips, he seemed to be amused by her growing dread.

“Anythin' on your mind, love?” He looked at her expectantly, knowing that she must have a thousand questions to ask, but she only began to tremble. The smirk dropped from the man's face when he saw her start to shake.

“Aww, come on now.. don’t be like that. We're not gonna hurt ya' none,” he said, trying to reassure his captor. Still she said nothing, but her trembling continued. The man only leaned back and sighed, but reached up and gave three sharp knocks on the wall, sending the loud, metallic sound through the side of the truck.

“Oi! Pull over at the next stop!” he barked into the air at seemingly no one. Liam wasn't even sure that he was heard by anyone but her, but, sure enough, just a few minutes later, she felt the truck slow, then the vibrations and the engine came to a halt as the vehicle came to a full stop. The Aussie gave a low groan as he stood up and arched his back, causing a loud pop from a few bones, and reached to the side of the door, cranking a handle and hauling up the door, rending Liam nearly blind at the sudden influx of light into the dark space.

“C'mon,” he grunted, gesturing toward the outside. Liam blinked, trying to regain a good portion of her vision, and stared at the man, then to the open landscape outside, then back to the man, unmoving from her seat.

“Last chance to take a piss,” he warned. Liam immediately stood, nearly falling as the pins and needles overtook her legs from the sudden change in position after not being in use for so long. She regained control and slowly, carefully began to teeter her way forward, not taking her eyes off the man while also trying to stay as far away from him as much as the small space would allow. He chuckled in response to her wariness.

“I won't bite,” he said, a smile at the corner of his mouth as he jumped down off the tailgate, causing her to silently give thanks for the extra room. However, he reached up an open hand toward her, causing her to shy back.

“Need a hand?”

Liam looked at his open palm extended to her and gave a short, shy shake of her head before stretching her neck out to calculate the height of the drop for herself, creeping slowly forward as the Australian silently withdrew with a shrug and crossed his arms over his chest. She sat on the edge and slid carefully off the bumper, hit suddenly with the stagnant, dry heat and far view of the vast desert.

“Nothin' 'round here for miles but sand, and the occasional rattlesnake,” he companion rumbled, obviously noticing her scoping out her surroundings. He had placed himself wisely between her and the long stretch of concrete they had been driving on, both of them of the shoulder of the road near a large, plain, nondescript building that Liam assumed housed a bathroom. “So if you git any ideas of runnin' off...” He didn't bothering finishing his sentence, but he didn't need to. The serious look on his face was enough to scare Liam off any idea of escaping. Besides, the hot, vast expanse of nothingness beyond wasn't all that appealing for an impromptu escape plan anyhow.

Liam proceeded toward the building, the man easing off to lean against the side of the truck, watching her enter the door. Sadly for her, the single stall bathroom offered no means for escape, and besides, the smell was awful as soon as she opened the door. Still, she did her business and was nearly tempted to drink from the faucet, but couldn't bring herself to trust the state of the water, regardless of her thirst, so all she could do was rinse her hands and leave.

She felt fortunate that her captor didn't insist on escorting her in there, but gave a wary glance at the man with the rifle as she exited, stopping short as she approached. He still had his arms crossed, but seemed to be staring off out into the desert. Liam cast a look sideways to perhaps catch a glimpse of whatever he was looking at, but she saw nothing, even in the distance.

The passenger door to the truck slammed open, catching Liam's immediate attention as she saw a figure jump out and sprint rapidly toward her before she could comprehend exactly what was going on.

“C'mon, move outta' the way!!” came a shout from the running figure. Liam moved quickly aside, halfway stunned with the realization that she recognized that voice... but the figure moved so quickly into the building and the door slammed next to her so fast that she didn't even have time to react.

“Reel it in, girlie! 'S'about time to go!” the Australian called. Liam shook it off and meekly re-approached the dreaded truck, only to stop quickly when she realized that someone had come around from the other side to speak with the Australian- a shorter bald man sporting a large pair of goggles, overalls, and large yellow gloves that sat perched on his hips as he spoke.

“....and I'd appreciate it if he sat back with you, if ya' don't mind,” the new stranger spoke, a gentle southern drawl delicately lilting on his syllables. The Australian let out an unintelligible sound at him before exasperatedly rubbing his forehead with both hands.

“C'mon, Engie, the sheila is perfect company, quiet as a ghost!”

“As much as I _do_ hate to interrupt yer quiet time,” the man spoke, his words clipped with pointed sarcasm, “we're hittin' two birds with one stone here. One, frankly, I need a break from him...”

“Of _bloody_ course...” the tall Australian growled quietly.

“And _two_!” the shorter man continued through the interruption, “If she hasn't spoken a word yet, maybe he'll be able to loosen her up a bit.”

“So you figure _torture_ will work to get her takin', aye?” came the casual response, followed by a chuckle.

Liam felt her face pale and took a step back, catching a look from the bald man who didn't seem to realize she had been off a ways listening to the both of them talk. The tall man followed his gaze, also realizing their predicament.

“Oh, bugger...” he mumbled.

“Ah, what he means is,” the southern man interjected with a smile at the eavesdropper, his voice becoming that much louder from the hushed conversation before, “Scout has a tendency to talk. A _lot_. Quite a bit more than any sane man might be used to!” he chuckled, hoping to calm his audience. Liam only stared back. “So we were just sayin' how ya' might need to be careful, since I'm not all that sure how much gab you kin' take, though Scout's a friendly enough fellow, I reckon...”

As if of cue, the door behind Liam burst open, followed by a loud, spirited “WOOOOOOO!!!!”, both serving to nearly scare Liam out of her wits once more before she felt an arm clap around her shoulder.

“You would not _believe_ the size of the crap I just took! Man, I do _not_ wanna be the next guy who goes in there after that natural disaster, lemme tell ya'!” he gives a harsh, barking laugh as Liam is unwillingly whisked closer towards the couple before them by the exuberant youth.

“Hey hey! Guys! This is my ol' pal Liam!” he says proudly, as if they truly were the closest of friends. “And this is Engineer and Sniper!” he said, gesturing his other arm out towards his comrades. “They're cool! Not cooler than _me_ , of course, but, hey! Now that you have me to keep ya' company, this trip will be over in no time!” he crowed, guiding the bewildered woman under his arm past the two men and toward the open back of the truck before anyone could get a word in edgewise. He took his arm off Liam's shoulder to place it on the tailgate, using it as leverage for a spry leap into the back before turning and crouching, holding a hand out for her to follow, still talking, but Liam could barely focus on his words. She backed up, but found herself bumping into another body, gasping as she turned to the side, backing up toward the road. The man she had backed into, the Sniper, was giving her a look she couldn't quite decipher.

“Easy, love. Just hop in and we'll be there in no time.”

Liam had no idea where “there” was, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to be “there”, anyway. She took another couple steps back. The bald man, the Engineer, stepped around the vehicle and chuckled, his thick arms folded across his chest in amusement.

“This one's as jumpy as a jackrabbit in a minefield,” he mused to the unamused Sniper. Sniper grumbled something, but turned to look down the road in the opposite direction before turning back to Liam.

“Look, I doubt that the both of us want to stand around in this heat, yeah? I've got a canteen full of water and some food in the back that you kin' 'ave, if ya' want.”

She knew that the look on her face gave away her temptation at the offer, but she stood her ground. Before the Sniper could do any more coaxing, Scout took a leap out of the truck, and strode on over to the frozen, questioning Liam, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder without another word before strolling back to the truck, jumping back in with the same ease he did without her draped so undignified on his back.

“C'mon, toots, we don't wanna be out here any more than you do!” he said through her gasps and wordless expressions of shock and anger. “Besides, there's more cool stuff to do at the base than there is in a stupid desert. I'm sick of the sun!”

The Engineer belted out a hearty laugh, causing Liam's face to redden with embarrassment.

“Well, shoot! I'd be lyin' if I said that Scout isn't efficient!” he hooted, tossing an elbow into the ribs of the ever-stoic Sniper, who only grunted in response before following Scout's lead and jumping into the truck himself.

“Shouldn't be too much longer,” Engineer offered to the trio in the back. “Y'all just hold tight, ya' hear?” Liam knew that the warm smile was directed at her, but she only shot back a cold, blank look, though it seemed to do nothing to deter the grinning man.

The Sniper reached up and pulled the door down, plunging them all into darkness again, though this time, their new companion didn't intend to leave them all in suspenseful silence.

“Man! Can't _wait_ to grab a cold beer back at base! I mean, hopefully nobody left the fridge cracked this time around. God, the smell a' that thing after the lunchmeat went bad after Soldier left it open that one day...”

Sniper was rummaging through his large pack as the engine started up again, and pulled out a military-issued canteen, silently reaching out, offering it to Liam as Scout continued talking. Liam couldn't help but leave her caution behind as she eagerly leaned forward to take it, taking care not to spill as she unscrewed the cap and brought it to her lips, drinking it in eagerly.

“Whoa! Easy there, save some for the rest of us, will ya'?” Scout teased at her. Liam gasped for air as she finished, suddenly looking guilty as she cast glances at the two men. She cleared her throat and carefully held out the canteen to Scout, worriedly looking up at him. Scout was caught off guard for a moment before he realized what she was doing, which in turn made him give another shrill laugh.

“It was just a figure of speech, toots! We've all got enough water to last us. Don't worry 'bout it!”

Liam felt even more sheepish as she recoiled, feeling silly as she recapped her vessel and offered it back to the Sniper, who only shook his head.

“That's yours now, mate. I've got my own,” he says, patting a larger container hanging off the side of the pack her was now lying down on. She meekly drew it back to her chest, nodding in acknowledgment while the Scout still talked, his arm thrown across her shoulders like they were close buddies.

“Yeah! Ya' see? We've got it all under control, everything figured out! They call me 'The man with the the plan'! 'Cept no one actually calls me that 'cept me, ya' know? But I'm thinkin' it'll catch on! I man, I'm not always so good at rememberin', but I do remember the important stuff!”

Liam nodded against his shoulder, eyes heavy, barely registering his words as she nodded off.

 


	3. Tag and Telephone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam wants to figure out why she was brought here, gets vague answers, and finds some other things she doesn't want to know, nor does she want anyone else to know.
> 
> Scout, Sniper, Engineer, Spy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day. 
> 
> I love TF2 and want more fics to update.  
> I'm lovingly impatient at time.
> 
> All TF2 fic writers are great, and I appreciate the time that you take to write.  
> Thank you.

“....don't.... she'd appreciate....”

The words were dull, muted, as if they were spoken underwater.

“....fine!....too heavy....nothin' to....”

Her neck felt stiff. She opened her eyes, her vision just as blurry as the words in her ears.

“Hold on now, she's awake, see?”

Liam looked up, her vision met with a grinning face.

“Mornin'! Or rather.. evenin'! You're lucky! You slept the rest of the way here!” The voice of the Scout was boisterous and energetic- a good foil to Liam's own feelings.“C'mon! We're finally here! Let's go! I wanna show you the base!”

“Don't think so, mate,” the Sniper cut in. “She needs a briefing, then she's off to Medic's. Probably won't be seein' her for a while, I'd venture.”

“Ugh! Booooooring!” Scout sang out in disdain. He gave the Sniper a critical eye. “Who's doin' the briefing?”

“Spy.”

“Double UGH!!” Scout nearly gagged, his face wrinkling up in disgust as he stood, looking down at Liam with a cheeky smile. “Maybe we'll just, uhhh, 'get lost' or somethin' for a little while...”

“Absolutely _not_!” chided a voice as the door loudly slid up, revealing a stern-looking Engineer, his brows low over his large googles, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. He pointed a sharp finger at Scout. “Don't you try leadin' her off, ya' hear? The poor thing probably has a load a' questions that need answerin', which is why Spy put together the briefing.”

“She didn't have any questions!” Scout pointed out.

“Probably didn't have a chance to get in a word edgewise!” the Engineer shot back.

“Hey, now! I'm a _great_ listener!” Scout retorted, indignant.

“Just get out of the damn truck,” Engineer groaned, walking out of sight before any more arguing could start up. Scout echoed his displeasure, but reached down to grasp Liam's hands and pulled her up before she had a chance protest.

“Up ya' go! Damn, I'm strong! Not that you're heavy or anything, I just-”

“Get outta' the truck!!” the Engineer hollered again from around the corner.

“Alright, alright, I'm goin'!” Scout sighed, jumping off the back of the truck with flourish. Liam proceeded to stand there as the Sniper slid out, as well, watching the crew and eying around the small garage.

“Need help?” Sniper asks, noticing her hesitation. Liam opens her mouth to speak, but quickly closes it again and takes a step back.

“I-I'm not...” she mumbles then stops. Sniper walks toward the truck again and leans against the tailgate, his body bent in, his face inquisitive as he strained to listen.

“I-I don't want to...” Liam stuttered. She didn't finish, but only kept shaking her head, unwilling or unable to say or do much else. Sniper blinked, his face expression shifting into one of discomfort.

“Ah.. look...” he started, clearly uncomfortable. “I told you before that we're not gonna hurt you, yeah?” The two of them stared at one another for a moment before Sniper rubbed his face with his hand. “Ah piss... I'm too tired for this right now...” he mumbled weakly, looking back up at Liam with what was supposed to be a stern face. “Look, I know it's all strange and confusing right now, but it's gonna be okay, yeah?”

Liam did not feel the least bit reassured and continued to move back into the shadows of the truck, as if that would somehow make her disappear.

“Everything okay over here?” the Engineer asked, his head now covered with a hardhat, coming to stop next to the awkward Australian. He shifted his gaze from Sniper and onto the retreating woman feebly attempting to cloak herself in the darkness of the truck bed, to no avail. Sniper only set his Akubra briskly on his head with a sigh and looked the man square in the face.

“This isn't exactly my area of expertise,” he spoke solemnly, as if Liam wasn't there at all. Engineer stole a glance at the woman then looked back to Sniper.

“And you reckon _I_ would know what to do 'bout this?” he asked with raised eyebrows. Sniper, suddenly frustrated, threw up his hands.

“I don't know! I'm just telling you that maybe I'm not the one who should be bloody dealing with this right now!” he seethed. Engineer sighed and lowered his head, tapping his forehead in thought before turning back to Liam.

“You want an escort to the briefing room, or would ya' like to be carried there?”

Liam blinked. “Wha-?”

“'Cause I know that Sniper or Scout won't have no problem carryin' ya'-”

“No!! That's fine!!” Liam spoke suddenly, causing both men to raise their brows. She quickly cleared her throat and shifted her weight. “I-I'll walk..”

“Good girl,” Engineer praised, nodding approvingly before turning back to Sniper. “You can handle it from here then?” he asked.

“Course I can!”

“I'll leave you to it, then,” he said with one final nod, before walking off and out of sight. Sniper sighed again and looked expectantly at the woman standing above him in the dark.

“C'mon, now, Spy's waitin' for ya'.”

Liam slowly and cautiously padded her way forward, as the ever-patient Sniper looked on, not snapping at her to hurry up, but watching just as cautiously as she grew nearer to the edge. He lifted his hand, staying quiet as she looked it over, her eyes full of suspicion and her movements wary. Slowly, carefully, she reached out and gently curled her fingers around the sides of his waiting palm. Sniper's grip was firm, _much_ firmer than her own as he gently urged her forward with a light pull, allowing her to jump without fear of gravity causing a painful landing.

“Now,” he spoke, looking somewhat pleased with himself. “Let's get you to Spy, shall we?”

 

 

Liam cautiously entered the room, but nearly backed all the way out again at seeing a masked man sitting at the table where she, too, was supposed to be sitting. She bumped into Sniper and let out a gasp, quickly jostling forward and nearly falling into the room, causing the masked man in question to raise an eyebrow at her.

“Miss Owens, I presume,” the man spoke in a distinctly French accent, his assumption of her identity being more a statement than a question. Liam stood frozen.

“Go on, mate. He's fine. He may look like a spook, but he's just doin' his job. Don't worry about a thing, yeah?” the Sniper whispered before gently pushing her the rest of the way through the door, closing it in an act of finality. Liam's base instinct was to rip the door off its hinges and fight her way out of this crazy place, but here she was, frozen on the spot unable to do anything, yet again.

“Please, take a seat,” the French man offered, gesturing to the chair across from him. Liam did not look away as she slowly approached, the man seemingly oblivious to her slow steps as he occupied himself in shuffling the stack of paper he held. Liam noted the folder lying next to his elbow as she drew nearer, and sat down before the masked man, unsure of what exactly was going to happen, but the sinking feeling in her gut spoke volumes about where exactly this could go. She waited, solemn and expectant before her judge, finally meeting his eyes as he set down the papers to look at her.

“Good evening. I trust zhat group of hooligans didn't rough you up too badly, _non_?”

Liam stiffened. His tone of voice gave no indication of humor, and she was hardly in a joking mode.

“As one of the ozhers must have told you, I am Spy,” he said after the momentary silence, hardly skipping a beat. He spoke pleasantly enough, his expensive-looking suit contrasting harshly to the mask seemingly more fit for a burglar or an arsonist. Still, he seemed to give off the air of someone who knew what he was doing.

“You must have questions for me, Miss Owens.”

Liam's heartbeat sped up suddenly, and she could feel the blood in her face and hear it in her ears before she found the courage to speak.

“I want a lawyer,” she spoke, doing all in her power to keep her voice from shaking. Spy gave a wide smile and shook his head slightly, as if Liam was a child who had just requested sweets just before dinner.

“I'm afraid zhat's not possible-”

“You are legally obligated to allow me legal council!” she said, her voice suddenly louder, though this time she was unable to stop her voice from quaking ever so slightly. She had not meant to raise her voice, but also unable to help it. Spy put his elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers.

“You misunderstand me, Miss Owens. You see, we work beyond zhe boundaries of zhe government, so we are under no obligation to allow you contact anyone, lawyers included.”

Liam sat back, stunned, searching the man's face for any further explanation, but he only sat there, silent, his features hidden behind a mask and his interlaced fingers, offering up nothing more.

“I-I thought I was... I mean.... I thought that you...” Liam muttered, looking down at the edge of the table. She stopped herself, looking up quickly at the masked Spy, whose expression remained completely unchanged.

“Why am I here then?” She couldn't figure out what power her meek demand held, but he answered nonetheless.

“You are in possession of somezhing zhat we are apparently very much in need of.”

“Which is...?”

He shook his head. “It would be more appropriate if you spoke to our Medic about it.”

“I want to go home.”

“Not an option, I'm afraid.”

“You can't keep me here!”

“ _Non_?” he asked, slight amusement on his face.

“N-no! You can't!” she argued feebly, her anger and discomfort growing at the same rate of his smile. She stared at him.

“....What do you know about me?” she finally asked. Spy looked her dead in the eye.

“ _Everyzhing_.”

He was bluffing. Liam sat back with a scoff, folding her arms and giving him the same look. He merely shrugged, pushing the folder toward her.

“Take a look,” he offered.

Liam looked down at the plain manilla folder. It had a big, red “TOP SECRET” stamped dramatically on the top, and he eyes roamed toward the tab on the top before she froze.

**Liam Owens / Eleanor Reno**

The world around became nothing. All the sounds and noises fell silent. Nothing on the planet was there- only Liam, the file, and the words scrawled neatly on the paper. The blood in her ears grew louder, her heartbeat sounded faster, and her breathing was far too fast with so little air going into her lungs. She wanted to see what was inside that ominous folder, but her arms were stuck fast to her sides, as if they were being weighed down with lead. She felt sickened at what she knew she would find inside, yet compelled to see if what it contained was everything she had buried away for so long.

She could have sworn that her trembling shook the entire room, but the Spy before her looked unmoved as she lifted her shaking hands over the folder, before withdrawing like it was made of acid, then back again, before repeating the same dance several more times. She finally recoiled, gasping for air and put her hands on her face, covering what she knew he had already seen. There she sat, gasping, choking on the emotions that threatened to burst from her, just trying to recompose herself against the silence of the room.

“We have a deal for you,” the Spy spoke, his voice more gentle, perhaps even sympathetic as he watched her try to contain herself behind her clawing fingers. He stopped to make sure she had heard, noting that her breathing had quieted some before he continued. “It seems that members of our team have located and tracked you down for a reason. The resources you may bring could be invaluable to our efforts, and, for that, we would like to bring you onto our team.”

Spy's offer was met with silence, but he was a Spy, and he knew that getting answers required patience, so patient he was. He watched quietly as her hands shifted from her face back into her lap, then reached for the box of tissue nearby, using it to blow her nose before discarding it in the trash can next her chair. Still he waited, watching her rub her arms over her red face, sniffling and taking shuttering breaths. Finally, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, opening her bright eyes, and stared directly into his.

“...Do I get a choice in this?”

“You get a choice in whether or not you will work willingly with us.”

“Let me rephrase: what if I said 'no'?”

“You can say 'no', but you will be zhat will simply make our jobs and your life all zhe more difficult, _mademoiselle_.”

“So I don't really have a choice, do I?”

“In short? _Non_. Your choices are 'cooperate' or 'be forced to cooperate'. But, still, we leave that choice up to you.”

Silence.

“.....What do you need from me?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What does she have???? What do they need????   
> What's in the folder?????????????


End file.
